As clerk, Bock will oversee 750 employees and a $57.6 million budget and will be responsible for handling court records, investing the county's money and paying its bills.

Bock said she would work to continue the office's "tradition of excellence." She also plans to improve how services are delivered to the public and upgrade technology.

Since she announced her candidacy last year to replace retiring Clerk Dorothy Wilken , Bock had a substantial edge over her challengers, including Tuesday's opponent, Scott Fronrath. She never let that edge slip, capitalizing on Wilken's support and touting her six years of experience as a deputy clerk.

"When [Wilken] approached me to run, never once did I doubt I could run this office," Bock said. "But I doubted my ability to get elected and be able to campaign."

Bock, 52, had never run for office before.

"I would not have done this without Dorothy. I would not have quit a law practice. I would not have stepped into the political arena for this top job without understanding it," she said.

As an unknown and political novice, Bock said she thought it was her duty to let county voters get to know her, the person who will run a large government agency. So for more than a year, Bock didn't turn down an invitation to an event or debate.

Bock, of Palm Beach Shores, fought off two Democratic challengers in the Aug. 31 primary. She raised more than twice as much money as her two primary opponents and Fronrath in the general election combined.

"That's truly the hard work of being a candidate," Bock said about her fund-raising prowess.

Bock said she never thought she would be a public official running a large government agency. She was a lawyer for 18 years, ran a Miami title company and worked as an investment adviser. As an entrepreneur, she was not accustomed to bureaucracy. Bock was hesitant to join the clerk's office when a recruiter contacted her about a job managing a 500-person department as deputy clerk.

Wilken convinced Bock that the skills she developed in the private sector would be useful for a deputy clerk.

Bock said she decided to sign on for a two-year stint, through Wilken's next election. During that time, Bock became immersed in the management and decision-making process in the clerk's office. That experienced convinced her to stay and then to run for the top job.

"As a result of that, I said, `Not only is this an important job, this is vital to the democratic system,'" Bock said.

Luis F. Perez can be reached at lfperez@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6641.